The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-10-27

uuoh preparations ~ we're nesdful ths
littls troop fled into the parlCr and
stood before the major, Miss Black
thwaite and her friend. And ct once
all eyes were rivetcd upon thick
Bible, corded about SO as 10 bind with
in its leaves a great iron door key.
The major was graver than before
He arose and addressed the conclavs
with an air that proved how much i'm
portance he attached to the supersti-
tious ceremony which was about to b
performed.
s.My friends. he said. I'VE are about
to ask heaven to judge us. Reflects;
deception is longer impossible. Let
the guilty confess and make restitution.
and l will treat him leniently--there is
yet time. I do not wish to resort to
harsh measures"
But no one spoke and the major took
up the Bible.
"John-ap- john" he said. ''clear
yourself first" And the old man
walked slowly toward his master.
Holding the Bible by the key. he re-
peated the names OF the three persons
of the Trinity. and called upon them to
witness to his perfect honesty. And
the key remained immovable. and old
John returned to his corner. angry still.
but feeling he had proved himself en-
tirely above suspicion.
In turn his fellow servants followed,
the women bursting into tears as they
retired. leaving the key still unturned
between the great Bible leaves. And
at last it came to Peter Morgan S
turn.
The man came forward boldly
enough and took firm hold of the key.
Then he began to utter the sacred
names with which the asseveration Of
his innocence commenced.
God the Father-God the Son"
But then before he could utter
another word. the key turned in the
B.ble-turned fairly around before all
those eyes which were riveted upon it,
and the raered book itself dropped from
Peter Morgan's hand.
'.For all that, l never touched the
diamonds" he cried. But no one there
believed him. The test of the Bible
and key was considered infallible, and
he was sent to prison to await his trial.
1t was proved that on the morning
after the loss of the diamonds Peter
Morgan had gone over to the village.
where his mother lived, and not only
paid her rent, but bought her a red
COW, and that he would not tell whence
the money came. Now, pressed upon
the point, he declared that he had sold
silver watch for it, but did not like
to say SO, because it was an heirloom
in the family. having been given to his
father by a rich man, whose servant
he had been. But he had sold it to g
travelling pedler, so that the proof
could not be given, and in the end his
guilt seemed quite established, and he
was doomed to ''be hanged by the
neck until he was dead" upon the ole
gallows of Gwelt-town. it being believ.
ed by all that at the last moment he
would make confession.
Miss Blackthwaite was much distress.
ed, but she believed that when once
the KEY had turned all doubt of Peter s
guilt had vanished and that her sym
patty was thrown away.
As for the major, he would not have
interferred with the laws of his coun
try had it been possible. and John-ap
John and his fellow-servants thought
no fate too bad for one who had cast sc
much suspicion upon them-and the
day drew near on which he was to die
and only his poor old mother came tt
the prison gates to weep. or went fran
tically about to gain speech with those
who had power in their hands and tel
them that she was sure of her Petel
and that he was the best son who evel
lived, and to beg them on her bended
knees to believe as she did.
Peter Morgan was to be hung, ant
clergymen were with him hourly ant
confession was advised as means o
atonement, and he was warned agains
obstinacy, but all in vain. No COMES
sion fell from his lips. Instead he salt
something which seemed blasphemy t.
those who heard it.
Il know the key turned in my hand
But it wasn't Gods doing. Satan hat
a hand in it, for it told a lie. Inevel
saw the diamonds"
And in this mood. the dreadful da,
found him.
Peters old mother came to him il
prison that day, and their parting wa
a dreadful thing to see, but still h
said: Il am innocent!' and she wa
taken away, and he marched, witt
guards about him and his hands bound
toward the awful spot where he was tt
meet his fate, and the clergyman whis
pered:
''Confess, the truth, my son, and g
to Heaven washed from falsehood."
He answered.:
Il have spoken the truth. I can sa
nothing MORE"
And so they brought him to the gal
lows-the old gallows OF old Gwelt
town, brown with time, and not to
staunch or stout where many THE
and murderer had hung before. An
all the country were there to see-fo
then it was considered a wholesom
sight for the populace-and reserve
seats were not sold to few curiou
for spicy horrors as they are to-da
even in our good city of New York.
Me- o~l ruo,,oor and ouov1 oh ;1dpor